Improvement in apparatus for manufacturing fertilizers



ZSheets-Sheetl. H. O. P. LISSAGARAY. V

APPARATUS FOR MANUF-ACTURING FERTILIZERS.

No. 171,8Z8. Patenta& J'.a.n.4.,187 6.'

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APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING FERTILIZERS. 4 No. 171,8Z8. Patenta&Jan.4,1876.

N.PETERS, PNOT0L[TNOGRAFMER. WASNINGTON. D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

HENRI O. P. LISSAGARAY, OF PANTIN, NEAR PARS, FRANCE.

lMP-ROVEMENT IN APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING FERTILIZERS.

Specificatiou forming part of Letters Patent No. l7l,828, dated January4, 1876; application filed August 10, 1875.

To all whom ?It may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRI O. P. LISSAGA- .RAY, of Pantin, near Paris,Department ot' Seine, France, have invented certain Improvements.in theManufacture of Manure, and in the Apparatus employed therein, of whichthe following is a specification: g

My invention relates to a new and useful apparatus for manufacturing orconvcrtiug nitrogenous suhstances such as wool, horn,

' leather, &0.-into soluble and putrescible fer i minution ot' saidsubstauces, and to that end have tended all attempts heretot'ore made;and horn has been used in powder or shavings, as well as leather in sha\'ings,and wool as an Organic precipitate, or in a powdered state,efi'ected by torrefaction and subsequent pulverization by mechanicalagents. The pro cess for obtaining' the Organic precipitate of wool hasbeen to dissolve the wool in sulphide ot' sodiun, which allows, byfiltration, of the separaton of anypotton that may be mixed with thewool, and by decomposing the sulphide of sodium with an acid theresultant sulphureted hydrogen is liberated and all the Organic matteris obtained as a precipitate,'

from which, how ever, the nit-rogen is not eliminated. In fact, the aimof this process is the retention of the nitrogenous properties, which isthe case where wool in a -pulverized condition, as a result oftorrefaction and subsequent pulverization, has been used, the mainendeavor being to arrest torrefaction prior to the elimination of gasesfrom the wool, this.

being generally determin'ed both by the color as well as the odorenitted, thus retaining all the nitrogen in the torrefied product; and,in

order to cause putrefaction, the admixture of lime, sulphate of lime, orthe superphosphate of lime has been resorted to, both With the Organicprecipitate and the roasted wool in powder, or the shavngs of horn orleather a process notonly impert'ect, but very slow in its effect, owingto the presence of the nitrogen as retarding agent.

My invnt'on has for its object to overcome the difficulties .heretoforeencountered, and renderthe products of nitrogenous substances not onlyhighly assinilable with other substances or chenioals, bnt also readilyputrefied.

enous substances herein referred to belong to that class calledepidernic, and in their Chemical composition are but uninportantmodifications ot' 'the same, and, when t'eated by my process, they allgive aproduct of a similar Chemical composition. whether wool, horn, orleather has been' employed and to that efl'ect I place the material orsubstance in a closed vessel, and heat the same to a degr ee sufficienttoproduce a coumencenent of dry distillation, agitatin g the substanceunder treatment by means ot' a stirrer or stirrers. When a certain.degree of heat has' been reached the liberation of the gases', eithersulphureted or phosphoreted, will take place, the weight of which willbe about one-fifth or onesixth that of the substance under treatment.This liberation of gases is essential, as it will subsequentlyfacilitate and pronote the putrefaction of theproducts, While theirpresence,

as already mentioned, would retard the putrefaction. The annnonia, asaproduct-ot' distillation, sgathered and condensed in the sulpluric acid.to form sulphate of annonia,

which is subsequently reincorporated with the Organic product; and thisreinoorporation has the following advantages: First, it restitutes tothe Organic product the elininated nit'ogen in the most assimilableform. Second, under the influence ot' the Organic matter, which rcducesit by absorbing its oxygen, the sulphate ofl annonia becomes a powerfulputrefying agent. Third, after eli nination of the gases the residuunconstitutes a viscous lqud, susceptible ot' being` brought to aboiling-point, and which may he readily made to circulate inpipes by thepressure ot' steau, and by these means may be readily manufactured at Byexperience' have found that thenitroga slight expense and in anyquantity, and utilized ase fertilizer.` n 1 i w Lwonld here observethat,although fer to subject the material under treatment to ad'ydistillation until it has` lost from onefifth to one-sixth ot' itsweight bythe eliminatio of gases, I do not wish to limit myself` to thatpropo-tion, asit may be exceeded, according to special reqnirements.

4 u The guseous products vary in their nchemia ca composition as well"asin their physical aspect, and nre collected and condesed to beafter-ward mixed with the organic products. When the heat in theapparetus has reached 180 or 190 the material becomes soft and 215 or220`,`whe`n it is withdrawmor allowed or made to flow `fromtheapparatus, and is then allowed to cool `and harden, in `whi`ch I ayertioal sectio nend Fig. 2 plan, of the i i appu'titus, constructed according to myflain-` state it is exceedinglyfriahle, and, when `pul-"yerized, highly solnhle; hence easily ass .imi-

lated with other substances. It is also 'well known that leather isimputrescible, owing to the tannin it contains, and its treatmentheretofore, with a. View to ntilizing itnas a fertilize', 'has resultedunfavorebly, if not in a com- "plete failure. By` my apparatus, however,the

" tnnin is not only removed bydistillation, but its effects destroyed,and thus leather may be j readily converted intoa `val ble'fertilizing"agenh l `Thechemicnl"characterof the'organic pro- *duetsobtuined maybeenumerated as follows: First, they are solhle in water, and, by the"addition of a small qiantityof sulphate of i linje tothe solution, putefaction ensueset oncegand isviolently "decla-red bjy an excess of thatchenical; second, the solnbility is in-` cresed by an "alkalinesolution, `and becomes *ma ximumfby lixiviation with'potasse` or soda,or with diluted ammonia; third, by mixing one per cent. of lime`withninety-nine per cent. of the Organic product in solution the letteremitstraces of anmonia,` and by boiliug said solution the emisson ofammonia is constnnt and. strong; fourtl, theorganic produets insolution, either with or without the addition of an alkaline substanca,are not precipitated by mineral acids, and imperfectly so "by bichlorideof nercury, while they may be thoroughly precipitatedby the addition tothe solutionof a small quantit-y of ferrocyanjide of `potassium and& fewdrops of' acetic acid. This precipitation is eifected by the formationin` the solution of sulphide ot' sodium or potassa, by adding soda orpotassa first,*a`nd then sulphureted hydrogen, and by decomposing thesulphide of sodium 'by a i mineral or Organic acid.

` It'will be understood that the Organic productsof wool, horn, leather,&(3., when treated in Lmy improved apparatus, as specified above, may beemployed as fertilizers, either by themselves or as composts. In theletter mixtnres First- I)rie1` and pnlverized Organic' product ofleather,horn, or

wool, andsimilar stjbstences.` 89 per cent `Quicklime` i. 1 *i* Sulplateof amm onim product i i of distillation. 10 i ft Secondi i i i i Organicproduct. 35.6 `per 'cent {Quicklime .4 i

Sulphate of ammonia.. 4 Superphosphate of line, 60 i *E In the accopenying `drewingfs, Eiguretilis yentio. Fig.' 3"is &vertical section` ofthe exh anst-chamber, y supporting the i aspirators, "f and o n l eg osr t ofth attr, and Fig. 4 is a nodificationgotthe receiyer i A is thereceiyer,proridedwith a, cliargig-` tube, A for the introduction of themeteriahw i and having a perforated bottom, a, the sides 5 i ot' thereceiver being also par a performed, i i asshown at a',` The receiverjAis surrounded w i i by" acasing or steam-jacket, and i the two arelocated in a. fine or-lieting-clm.her, (3,38 shown byiEig. 1. The iexterior of the I jacket `B is keptjatthe proper "temperatureybyhot air,the productsof combustion from tlelur: nace of the steamengine suppliedthereto by the pipcs D D Thepipe D is connected with a. pipe, Dsnpplying cold? airto D` ,`the sup- "ply of hot and coldleirbeingjregulaited "by graduated cock"3 d d ,and by these means thetemperature in theiflue or heating-chamber is regulated. and controlled.The condition ofthe temperature both in the pipesD and D', as well as inthe heating-cha'iber &may at all times be ascerteined by m'eans ofthethermostats d d c, with which thepipes DD and the ehamber C`arenprovided,`as shownibyf `l `ig. 2. By these "means a greatsas-'ingin i heat and `steam is efl'ected, as these products ofcombustion are impelled by the "exhaust stea ni of the' engine by theusual or any preferred method, and `the waste steamnfromthe i igenerator and superheater "after hevingpery i\ formed its functions inthe agpparatus. i

El iS a ne f c dwith u the steam-gfl. i e erator, and E is e similarpipeconnected with the superheater, (neither engine, generetor, orsuperheater beingshown i in thedrewings, as

they ma he of eny approvedforprefer ed i construction.) The pipes EedElareprovided with regulating cockse, for controlling the flow ofsnperheated and saturated stean,

and are'furtler provided with thermostats d,

for ascertaining, and by means of the cocks e controlling, thetemperature and supply of steam, as required. The pipes E and E unite'into one pipe at E, Fi g. 2, and by this arrangement superheated andsaturated steam are supplied to thesteam-jacket B, either separat'ely ortogether, through the pipe E and connecting-pipe E and ,the temperaturein -the steam-jacket B is controlled and regulated by the admission ofvariable quantities of superheated and saturated steam. The pipe E isalso provided with a stop-cock, 6 and ther nostat, d, by means of whichthe supply and temperature ot' the combined ste'am are regulated andascertained, and the pipe E isalso provided with a stop-cock torregulating the supply of steam or shutting t off when it is desired tocleanse the receiver A, as 'hereinafter explained. The steam supplied,by pipe E to the jacket penetrates into the receiver and the material'contaned therein through the perforated bottom a and perforations inthe side, and when the heatihas reached from 180 to 190 the materialcontained in the receiver becomessott, and by raising this heat to 215or 220 it will 'at once enter into ebullitio, whether leather, horn,wool, or other similar substances are treated. The condition ot' thematerial may'at any time be ascertained by means of the stirrer Fwvithwhich the receirer A is provided, as shown by Fig. l. This sti'rer isrevolved by means of a handle,f, affixed to its aXis f one end of 'whichrests ina socket,f in the botton of the receiverA. The other endprojects through the receiver A, and connecting gas or vapor pipe Gr,and a suitable packing-box, plainly shown hy Fig. l. "As soon as thematerial enters into i'usion the viscous liquid will flow into thestream-jacket B through the perto rated sides and bottom which is madeconcave, and drop onto therbotton b of the jacket B, which, on thecontrary, is made convex, as shown, so as to collect the liquid massmore around its periphery for the better and easier removal of the same,and when a charge or sufficiet quantity has run through itis withdrawntherefrom hy opening the stop-cook of the siphon-tube Lwhen the viscousliquid will at once be forced out through tube L by the pressure of. thestean in thejacket. The pipe M, connecting with the siphon-tube Lout-side of the steam-jacket, is surrounded by a steam-jacket, m, intowhich ste-am is injected through pipe N connecting with pipe E in Fig.2, for the purpose ot' keeping the material in a liquid state until itreaches the'` receiver, as it will solidify as soon as exposed to coldair, anl leeomes hard and very brittle, hence very friable and highlyassimilable. It

is also readily putrefied, being deprived of a greater part ot' itsphosphoreted and sulphureted properties, as well as a great portion ofits nitrogen, which is the retarding agent of putrefaction, and thepresence of which in the products of such materials as leather, wool,

into which they pass under the pressure of i' the steam, and areexhausted from the chamber H* by means of a series of aspirators, I.These aspirators consist of a series of tubes having an enlargement orbox, i, at the end connected with the chamber or tank H; or the box ?imay be formed on. the tank H, the vacuumbeing effected byinjecting ajet. ot' super heated steam supplied by pipe E through i pipe K from anozzle, 'i', having a capillary or very small orifice, as shown by Fig.3. .The gases are thus carried off from .the reoeiver A andeXhaust-chamber H, and forced through a pipe, J, into a condensing orseparating apparatus, (not shown in the drawin.g`s,) and consisting ot'a tank or boiler containing milk of lime, which arrests the sulphuretedand phosphoreted gases, while the ammonia is eliminated theret'rom, and,purified by its eircnlating in contact with superheated steam, is carredoff into' a tank lined with lead through a pipe, tleend ot' which isprovided with atunnel-shaped` device, the enlarged part downward, andwhich has its periphery perforated. This t'unnel-shaped end of the leadpipe is partially subne'ged in a bath ot' sulphuric acid contained bythe tank, and the result is the constant formation of sulph ate ot'anonia,

which is deposited in crystals on the walls of the tank and removed upona 'screen or sieve affixed in the upper part of said tank, where it isallowed to-drain off and dry, and is then removed for use or to be mixedwith the fer- 'tilizer as cornpost.

The pipe G is provided with a stop cock, g, and a thermostat, g', so asto control the pressure of the ste-am and gases, and at all timesascertain their temperature.

The eXhaust-chamber H may, if desired, be used as a separating-tank, byproviding the end of the pipe G with a funnel-shaped extremity, theenlarged part downward, and having its' periphery perforated andpartially subnerged in a bath of milk ot' lime, so that the pressure ofthe gases may produce sufficient agitation for the elimination of thephosphoreted and sulphureted gases from the' amnonia which is then inconjunction with steam carried off and treated as already explained.

y I have not shown in the drawingsthe con struction ofthe apparatus forelininating the gases or for obtaining the snlphate of ammonia, as theymay be ot any preferred Or known construction and arrangement. A

When the receiver is to be cleaned of obstructions closing theperforations of the bottom and sides, caused by the cooling of remnantsot' the viscous material, or t'rom particles of solid material lodgedtherein, the stopcock of the pipe E is first closed, as well as that of`the' pipe Gr." Steam is then admitted` direct into the receiver 15.through'pipe N', connected with pipe E and pipe Gr, immediately in frontot' the stop-cock g of said pipe,

`as shown by Fig. 2, the ste'am passing down pipe G into the receiver,and forcing the obstrnctionsinto the jacket B.

By snbstituting the receiver O, Fig. 4, to the steam-jacket B andreeeiver A, blood from slaughter houses may he treated in a similarmanner, the bottom 0 of the receiver being perforated; but instead ofobtaining a viscous seni-liquid mass, the blood is desiceated and`removed, deprivedof a portion of its chemicalj components in a drystate, to be used as suoh as a fertilizer or as a compost, by mixing, as

already stated above.

0 is the connection with pipe D ,and o with i pipe E 0 thermostat, and 0with pipe G.

The operation in the treatment of blood is in all respects similar tothe one already descrbed. a

Having now described my nvention, I wish to have it-understood that I donot wish to confine myself to ayparticular arrangement of the apparatusdescribed, as this may be modified to suit the circumstances orparticular requirements of the locality where employed; nor do I wish tolimitmyself to the material employed in its Construction, as anysuitable material capable of Wthstanding the action of steam and thegases may be employed; but

What I claim, and desire to secure by Let ters Pat-cnt, is h h 1. In anapparatus for eonverting leather, horn, wool, or other uitrogenoussubstances -into a fertilizer, the receiver A, having a part of itssides peforatod, and a perforatcd bottom, a, in combination with thejacket B, Stirrer F, pipes E E E E and a steam generator andsuperheater, arranged and Operating as and for the purposes specified. i

2. The jacket B and chamber O and perforated receiver A, in combinationwith the pipes E E E and D D for the purpose of controlling the heat insaid chamber and receiver, substantially as set forth.

3. The perforated receiver A,*in combination with the pipe G, exhaustehamber H, the aspirator I, and the pipes K E, arranged and Operating asand for the purposes described. i

4. The perforated receiver A, jacket B, stirrer F, siphon-tnhe L,jacketed pipo M, and the pipes E E E? E N, all arranged and combined tooperate as and `for the purposesdescribed. i 4 i 5.` The perforatedreceiver A and stirrer F, in combination with G, N', and E.substantially as and for the purposes specified. i

HENBI O. P; LISSAGARAY.

Witnesses:

FREDRIC WEIL, ROBT. M. HOOPER.

